The Last Dance

Album: Light After Dark (2011)
Charted: 23
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the second single released by the British singer-songwriter Clare Maguire. It was premiered on Huw Stephen's BBC Radio 1 show on January 3, 2011 the day it was announced that Maguire had come in 5th place on the BBC Sound of 2011 list of the year's most promising new artists.
  • Maguire wrote the song a day after the death of her childhood hero, Michael Jackson. She penned the tune in response to the misplaced comments some people were making about the musical legend following his passing. She explained to Artist Direct: "I wrote 'The Last Dance' just after Michael Jackson passed away. I was really angry with the hate people were spreading about him on the internet. I thought it was really wrong because he spread so much happiness with his music. Two days later, I went in the studio, sat at the piano and wrote the song in about 15 minutes. I withdrew my anger and sadness from that. Then, there were other things in my life happening at the time that came into the song. It's one of my favorites."
  • Maguire discussed her songwriting process in an interview with CMU: "It happens differently all the time, but usually I will feel something very strongly and then almost make stories with visions in my head, and the words just flow out; though I usually hear the music first."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

James Williamson of Iggy & the Stooges

James Williamson of Iggy & the StoogesSongwriter Interviews

The Stooges guitarist (and producer of the Kill City album) talks about those early recordings and what really happened with David Bowie.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.

Eric Clapton

Eric ClaptonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really write "Cocaine" while on cocaine? This question and more in the Clapton edition of Fact or Fiction.

Boy Bands

Boy BandsFact or Fiction

From NKOTB to 1D, how well do you know your boy bands?

Church Lyrics

Church LyricsMusic Quiz

Here is the church, here is the steeple - see if you can identify these lyrics that reference church.

Carl Sturken

Carl SturkenSongwriter Interviews

Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.